Gemma's made for Dagenham: Actress set to hit the West End for stage version of film
|
Heading to the West End: Gemma Arterton is set to star in a stage production of Made In Dagenham
The first few steps — a gentle backstage waltz — have already been taken. Gemma performed in two workshops, directed by Rupert Goold, of a musical version of the film Made In Dagenham.
The story is about women machinists who sewed car seat covers at the Ford factory and went out on strike in 1968 demanding equal pay.
The dispute marked a turning point in equality legislation, and the action by the women captured the public’s imagination.
The tempo of the waltz has increased now that executives at Stage Entertainment, the organisation backing the show, have begun meeting with theatre owners.
They’re hoping that one of London’s best, medium-sized musical houses will be free in the autumn of 2014. This seems likely, although the show occupying it has at least nine months left to run.
The next dance will be more like a foxtrot, because as soon as the contract for a theatre comes through, the producers will immediately officially offer Gemma the role of Rita, played in the film by luminous actress Sally Hawkins.
Rita is the machinist who became the workers’ heroine, and who leads her colleagues in a meeting with Barbara Castle, then Harold Wilson’s Employment Secretary.
I have heard a recording of one of the workshops and was struck by Gemma’s way with lyrics by Richard Thomas, and by how expertly she handled David Arnold’s score. She can sing a ballad and hit a high note beautifully.
The fact that the book’s by Richard Bean, who wrote the National Theatre’s comic gem One Man, Two Guvnors, doesn’t hurt, either. All the elements point to a hit — but I mustn’t rumba ahead of myself.
Made In Dagenham told the story of how machinists who sewed car seats went out on strike demanding equal pay
Gemma recently worked with Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley on the film Byzantium and they’re involved in Made In Dagenham, too — because they produced the movie. So the dance is kind of a family boogie.
I hear that Gemma’s ‘jumping’ to play Rita and is ‘eagerly’ looking forward to hearing from Stage Entertainment, once they have a theatre booked.
Then all involved can dance their hearts out in the West End, about a year from now.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2387337/Gemma-Arterton-set-hit-West-End-stage-version-Made-In-Dagenham.html#ixzz2bmjXSa70
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
